LOS ANGELES — Lakers star Luka Doncic will not participate in Saturday’s game against the Golden State Warriors due to a left hamstring strain, according to an announcement from the team. Doncic sustained the injury late in the second quarter of Thursday’s 119-115 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers, initially being diagnosed with left leg soreness before head coach JJ Redick confirmed he would require an MRI on his hamstring.
Despite the injury concern, there is cautious optimism that Doncic’s condition is not severe, as sources informed ESPN on Friday.
After facing the Warriors, the Lakers will embark on a three-game homestand, squaring off against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday, the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday, and facing Doncic’s former team, the Dallas Mavericks, on Thursday. Next weekend, the All-Star Game will be hosted at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, where Doncic is expected to play, having received over 3.4 million votes to secure his sixth All-Star selection in eight seasons.
Currently, Doncic leads the NBA in scoring with an impressive average of 32.8 points per game, along with 8.6 assists and 7.8 rebounds. This season, he has dealt with various leg injuries, missing a total of eight games, during which the Lakers have managed a 4-4 record.
In Doncic’s absence during the latter half of the game against Philadelphia, Austin Reaves made a significant impact, leading a comeback by scoring 35 points on 12-for-17 shooting in just 25 minutes, all while managing a restriction as he returned from a calf injury. LeBron James, despite a rough start, concluded the game with 17 points and 10 assists, though he matched his season high with eight turnovers.
Remarkably, out of the 50 games the Lakers have played this season, Doncic, James, and Reaves have only played together in 10 of those matchups. The team also announced that Luke Kennard, who was traded from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Gabe Vincent and a second-round draft pick, is questionable for the Warriors game as he begins the onboarding process with his new teammates.
As the Lakers look to adapt to the absence of one of their star players, the organization remains hopeful that Doncic’s injury will not keep him sidelined for long, allowing him to return for crucial upcoming games.